CELINE CHANG/DEERFIELD SCROLL A bagpiper leads the Varsity Boys Lacrosse team through the Jim Smith field before every game. This 35-year tradition was initiated by Eric Goodchild, a former music teacher and bagpiper at Deerfield Academy. His music career led him to use his specialty on the athletic fields, influencing players of multiple generations in different ways. Goodchild (1960-2025) was a homegrown Massachusetts bagpiper born in Pelham and raised in Shelburne, where h

COURTESY OF DEERFIELD COMMUNICATIONS This summer, Assistant Softball Coach Becca Melvoin worked with the Director of Athletics and the Co-Curricular Program Bob Howe to bring in a new head coach with club-level experience. The change was intended to better match the level of competition the team faces. Dr. Melvoin said, “I absolutely love coaching this team, but someone who had coached club softball was going to be a better fit because we are playing against a lot of teams wh

THIJS WITTINK/DEERFIELD SCROLL Teagan Farley ’26 is one of the three captains of Deerfield Varsity Girls’ Rowing this year. She has committed to Stanford University, where she will continue her rowing career, and has also competed on behalf of the U.S. Women’s National Team. Farley’s rowing journey began during the COVID-19 pandemic, when living in New York City limited her ability to play sports outside. “My mom says that I was born caffeinated—I just have too much energy—s

As winter season comes to an end and spring approaches, Deerfield’s fields and courts begin to fill with energy once again. Every game day is built on weeks of preparation, early practices, team meetings, and developing chemistry. This spring break, athletes from Golf, Lacrosse, Baseball, Water Polo, Softball, and Rowing travelled to various locations to refine their skills and prepare for the upcoming season. Conversations with the captains and players across all six teams m

Deerfield Academy’s rowing program has seen a noticeable shift in size and intensity this season, as athletes and coaches observed a larger roster and more competitive training environment across boats. According to Boys’ Rowing Head Coach Mr. Spencer Washburn, interest in rowing has steadily increased across campus, as he pointed to both the program’s recent success and the experience students have within the team as contributing factors. “There has been an increasing inter